Chip handling devices and related methods

ABSTRACT

Chip sorting devices and methods of ejecting chips from chip wells are disclosed. In some embodiments, chip sorting devices may include at least one chip ejection unit including at least one finger member selectively movable between a first position outside of at least one channel of a chip conveying unit and a second position within the at least one channel. In additional embodiments, a chip sorting device may include a separating wheel comprising a plurality of chip wells, each chip well configured to hold a plurality of chips. In yet additional embodiments, methods of ejecting a chip from a chip well may include urging a selected chip out of the chip well with the at least one finger member and at least one wall segment of a trailing segmented wall of the chip well.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/714,843, filed Dec. 14, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,757,349, issuedJun. 24, 2014, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/610,974, filed Nov. 2, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,336,699, issued Dec.25, 2012, the disclosure of each of which is hereby incorporated hereinby this reference in its entirety by this reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to chip sorting devices and related methods. Inparticular, embodiments of the invention relate to chip sorting devices,chip ejection units for chip sorting devices, separating wheels for chipsorting devices and methods of ejecting chips.

BACKGROUND

Given the current economic circumstances, reduced gaming revenues, anddesire to improve profitability, there is a need to reduce costs throughcost savings and replacement costs due to wear and tear on equipment.For example, there is a need for improved chip sorting devices, whichmay have the same profile as existing equipment to avoid retrofittingexisting gaming tables and that have adjustable mounting structures thatpermit limited movement of the device adjacent the gaming table surface.Additionally, it may be desirable to develop improved chip sortingdevices having reduced production cost, which may improve efficiency,improve reliability, reduce wear on chips and minimize noise to preservethe casino ambience.

In view of the foregoing, improved chip sorting devices and improvedmethods relating to sorting chips would be desirable.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In some embodiments, a chip sorting device may include a frame and achip conveying unit. The chip conveying unit may include at least onechip well configured to receive a chip therein, the at least one chipwell adjacent to at least one segmented guide wall comprising aplurality of wall segments spaced upon the wheel and defining at leastone channel therebetween. Additionally, at least one chip ejection unitmay be configured to eject at least one chip outward from the at leastone chip well of the chip conveying unit. Each chip ejection unit mayinclude at least one finger member selectively movable between a firstposition outside of the at least one channel and a second positionwithin the at least one channel.

In additional embodiments, a chip sorting device may include a chiphopper chamber and a chip sorting chamber, separate from the chip hopperchamber and connected to the chip hopper chamber by an opening. The chipsorting device may further include a separating wheel positioned withinthe chip hopper chamber, the separating wheel comprising a plurality ofradially extending arms defining a plurality of chip wells. Each chipwell of the plurality of chip wells may be configured to hold aplurality of chips and to carry chips in a circumferential path anddeposit chips in the opening into the chip sorting chamber. The chipsorting device may also include a chip counting device positioned withinthe chip hopper chamber and configured to count a number of chipscarried within each chip well of the plurality of chip wells.

In yet additional embodiments, a method of ejecting a chip from a chipwell, may include carrying a selected chip along a path in a chip wellof a chip conveying unit and positioning at least one finger member ofat least one ejection unit into the path of the selected chip, precedingthe selected chip. Additionally the method may include moving theselected chip relative to the at least one finger member to cause theselected chip to contact the at least one finger member and urging theselected chip out of the chip well with the at least one finger memberand at least one wall segment of a trailing segmented wall of the chipwell.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of a chip sorting device, according to anembodiment of the present invention, with portions of housings removedto show interior components of the chip sorting device.

FIG. 2 shows an isometric detail view of the chip sorting device of FIG.1 having additional portions of housings removed to show interiorcomponents of the chip sorting device.

FIG. 3 shows an isometric view of a sorting wheel and a plurality ofejection units of the chip sorting device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows an isometric view of a chip ejection unit of FIG. 3 havingportions removed to show a cam shaft and lever assemblies of the chipejection unit, and also shows a portion of a chip tray of a chip rack,the portion including an opening into the chip tray.

FIG. 5 shows another isometric view of the chip ejection unit of FIG. 3having additional portions removed to show the cam shaft and leverassemblies of the chip ejection unit.

FIG. 6 shows an isometric detail view of a radially outer portion of thesorting wheel of FIG. 3 holding chips in chip wells of the sortingwheel, a chip ejection unit and a portion of a chip tray holding a chiptherein.

FIG. 7 shows another isometric detail view of the radially outer portionof the sorting wheel of FIG. 6 with portions of the chip ejection unitand the portion of the chip tray removed to show finger members of thechip ejection unit in relationship with the chip wells of the sortingwheel when the finger members are positioned within circumferentiallyextending channels of the sorting wheel.

FIG. 8 shows an isometric detail view of the radially outer portion ofthe sorting wheel of FIG. 6 and a single cam and finger member of thechip ejection unit to show the relationship between the finger and thesorting wheel when the finger member is positioned outside of acircumferentially extending channel of the sorting wheel.

FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional detail view of a chip positioned within achip well of the radially outer portion of the sorting wheel of FIG. 6,a wherein first and second finger members are positioned within a firstand second circumferentially extending channel of the sorting wheel in acircumferential path of the chip, rotationally preceding the chip.

FIG. 10 shows a cross-sectional detail view of the chip positionedwithin the chip well of the radially outer portion of the sorting wheelof FIG. 9, wherein a third finger member is positioned within a thirdcircumferentially extending channel of the sorting wheel in acircumferential path of the chip, rotationally preceding the chip.

FIG. 11 shows a cross-sectional detail view of the chip positionedwithin the chip well of the radially outer portion of the sorting wheelof FIG. 10, wherein a fourth finger member is positioned in thecircumferential path of the chip, rotationally preceding the chip.

FIG. 12 shows a cross-sectional detail view of the chip positionedwithin the chip well of the radially outer portion of the sorting wheelof FIG. 11, wherein the first and second finger members are positionedout of the first and second circumferentially extending channels of thesorting wheel and out of the circumferential path of any chip.

FIG. 13 shows a cross-sectional detail view of the chip positionedwithin the chip well of the radially outer portion of the sorting wheelof FIG. 12, wherein the third finger is positioned out of thecircumferential path of any chip.

FIG. 14 shows a cross-sectional detail view of the chip positionedwithin the chip well of the radially outer portion of the sorting wheelof FIG. 13, wherein the fourth finger is positioned out of thecircumferential path of any chip.

FIG. 15 shows an isometric detail view of the radially outer portion ofthe sorting wheel, the chip ejection unit and the portion of the chiptray of FIG. 6 without any chips in the chip tray to show the openinginto the chip tray.

FIG. 16 shows a cross-sectional detail view of the radially outerportion of the sorting wheel, the chip ejection unit and the portion ofthe chip tray of FIG. 6 including a chip in the chip tray to show therelationship between components of the chip tray and a chip.

FIG. 17 shows an isometric view of a portion of another chip sortingdevice, including an articulated conveyor, according to anotherembodiment of the present invention, with portions removed to showinterior components of the chip sorting device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The illustrations presented herein are not meant to be actual views ofany particular device or system, but are merely idealizedrepresentations that are employed to describe various embodiments of thepresent invention. It is noted that elements that are common betweenfigures may retain the same numerical designation.

An isometric view of a chip sorting device 10 with portions of housingsremoved to show interior components of the chip sorting device 10 isshown in FIG. 1. As shown, the chip sorting device 10 may comprise aframe assembly 12, castors 14, one or more chip inlet tubes 16, a chiphopper chamber 18, a chip sorting chamber 20, and a chip rack 22. Thechip sorting device 10 may further include a first chip conveying unit,such as a pre-separator wheel 24 rotatably mounted within the chiphopper chamber 18, and a second chip conveying unit, such as a sortingwheel 26 rotatably mounted within the chip sorting chamber 20.

The pre-separator wheel 24 may be positioned on an intermediate wall 28,which may be viewed more clearly in FIG. 2, which shows an isometricdetail view of the chip sorting device 10 with additional portions ofhousings removed to show interior components. The intermediate wall 28may separate the chip hopper chamber 18 from the chip sorting chamber 20and an opening 30 formed in the intermediate wall 28 may provide apathway therebetween.

The pre-separator wheel 24 may be mounted for rotation about a centralaxis and may include a plurality of radially extending arms 32 defininga plurality of chip wells 34, 36. Each chip well 34, 36 may beconfigured to hold a plurality of chips 37, for example, each chip well34, 36 may hold two chips 37. For example, elongated chip wells 34 mayeach hold two chips 37 positioned edge-to-edge, a first chip 37positioned radially inward of a second chip 37, and deep chip wells 36may hold two chips 37 in a stacked configuration, a first chip 37positioned axially beneath a second chip 37. Additionally, elongatedchip wells 34 and deep chip wells 36 may alternate around thecircumference of the pre-separator wheel 24, which may allow a greaternumber of chip wells 34, 36 to be arranged in the pre-separator wheel 24when compared to an arrangement including only elongated chip wells 34.

A motor 38, such as one of a stepper motor and a servomotor, may becoupled to the pre-separator wheel 24, such as by a toothed belt 40 andcogs 42 (FIG. 1), and may be configured to rotate the pre-separatorwheel 24 and determine the position of the pre-separator wheel 24. Achip counting device 44 may also be included within the chip hopperchamber 18 and may be located near the opening 30 in the intermediatewall 28, over the circumferential path of the chip wells 34, 36 as thepre-separator wheel 24 rotates.

A chip delivery ramp 46 (FIG. 2) may be attached to the opening 30 inthe intermediate wall 28, extending from the opening 30 and sloping fromthe intermediate wall 28 into the chip sorting chamber 20 and toward thesorting wheel 26.

As shown in FIG. 3, the sorting wheel 26 may be mounted for rotation onthe frame assembly 12 about a central axis by a motor 48, such as one ofa stepper motor and a servomotor, coupled to the sorting wheel 26, suchas by a toothed belt 50 and cogs 52. In addition to rotating the sortingwheel 26, the motor 48 may be configured to determine the rotationalposition of the sorting wheel 26. A chip identification unit 54 (FIGS. 1and 2) and a plurality of chip ejection units 56 may also be includedwithin the chip sorting chamber 20. The sorting wheel 26 may include aplurality of chip wells 58, each configured to receive a chip 37 thereinand transport the chip 37 along a circumferential path. The chipidentification unit 54 may be positioned near the circumferential pathof the chip wells 58 of the sorting wheel 26 to identify at least onechip feature and the chip ejection units 56 may be positioned to ejectchips 37 from the sorting wheel 26 into the chip rack 22.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, each chip ejection unit 56 may comprise amotor 60, such as one of a stepper motor and a servomotor, attached to acam shaft 62 supporting a plurality of cams 64, such as tri-lobe cams,thereon and a lever shaft 66 supporting a plurality of lever assemblies68, 70, 72, each lever assembly 68, 70, 72 including one or more fingermembers 74, 76, 78, 80 at one end. For example, a first lever assembly68 may include a first finger member 74 and a second finger member 76, asecond lever assembly 70 may include a third finger member 78 and athird lever assembly 72 may include a fourth finger member 80.

As shown in FIG. 1, the chip rack 22 may include a plurality ofelongated chip trays 82, each chip tray 82 of the plurality of elongatedchip trays 82 corresponding to a chip ejection unit 56 (FIG. 3), forholding chips 37 ejected from the sorting wheel 26 by the chip ejectionunits 56. For example, the chip rack 22 may include ten chip trays 82for holding chips 37 in a stacked configuration, one chip 37 stackedaxially over another. The chip rack 22 may further include one or morecutters 84 for separating a predetermined number of chips 37 from a chiptray 82 into a stack and to facilitate the removal of chips 37 from thechip rack 22.

The chip sorting device 10 may further include a main controller 86configured to communicate with electrical and electromechanical devicesof the chip sorting device 10, such as the motors 38, 48, 60, the chipcounting device 44, the chip identification unit 54, drive boards 88(FIGS. 2 and 6) for the chip ejection units 56, the cutters 84, adisplay and input device, such as a touch screen liquid crystal display(LCD) device 90. The main controller 86 may be programmed with softwareto facilitate the operation of the main controller 86 and the maincontroller 86 may be configured to facilitate the operation of the chipsorting device 10 and to respond to inputs by a user through the touchscreen LCD device 90.

In operation, a mixture of chips 37 having varied identifying featuresmay be inserted into the chip hopper chamber 18 through one or more ofthe chip inlet tubes 16 (FIG. 1). For example, the chip sorting device10 may be positioned beneath a gaming table (not shown), such as aroulette table, with the chip rack 22 extending from an edge of thegaming table and a chip inlet tube 16 extending to an opening in thesurface of the gaming table. Chips 37 issued to players may havedifferent colors, or other identifying features, which may identify thechips 37 used by each player, identify the denominational value of achip 37, and indicate other information as desired. At certain intervalsduring game play, an operator (not shown) may move mixed chips 37 fromthe gaming surface to the opening in the gaming table, to be sorted bythe chip sorting device 10. Optionally, the chip sorting device 10 maybe separate from a gaming table, such as in a counting room of a casino(not shown).

The mixture of chips 37 may come to rest at the bottom of the chiphopper chamber 18 (FIG. 1) of the chip sorting device 10 and may beurged by gravity toward the intermediate wall 28, which may be situatedat about 40 degrees off plumb. The pre-separator wheel 24 may be rotatedalong the intermediate wall 28 by the motor 38 (FIG. 1), such as in acounter-clockwise direction, and chips 37 located at the bottom of thechip hopper chamber 18 may become positioned within the chip wells 34,36 defined by the radially extending arms 32 of the pre-separator wheel24. The chips 37 positioned within the chip wells 34, 36 may then becarried in a circumferential path along the intermediate wall 28 by thepre-separator wheel 24 toward the opening 30 in the intermediate wall 28(FIG. 2). The chips 37 may be carried past the chip counting device 44,which may count the number of chips 37 that are positioned within eachchip well 34, 36 and deposited through the opening 30 in theintermediate wall 28 into the chip sorting chamber 20. For example, thechip counting device 44 may include one or more optical sensors that maydetect the presence of one or more chips 37 within a chip well 34, 36.Additionally, in order to determine if a deep chip well 36 includes onlya single chip 37, or a second chip 37 stacked axially over a first chip37 located within the deep chip well 36, a finger member 92 may extendinto a path of a second axially stacked chip 37 and may temporarilydisplace the second axially stacked chip 37 radially outward, which mayposition the chip 37 adjacent to a sensor of the chip counting device 44and facilitate an accurate counting of the chips 37 within each deepchip well 36 and delivered to the chip sorting chamber 20. Utilizing themotor 38 and the chip counting device 44, the rate of chips 37 deliveredto the chip sorting chamber 20 may be regulated, such as by controllingthe rotational speed of the pre-separator wheel 24 with the motor 38 inresponse to the number of chips 37 counted by the chip counting device44.

A pre-separator wheel 24 that includes a relatively large number of chipwells 34, 36, which may each hold a plurality of chips 37, may allow forthe delivery of chips 37 to the chip sorting chamber 20 at a relativelyhigh rate, while maintaining a relatively slow rotational speed. Thismay be advantageous, as the relatively slow movement of thepre-separator wheel 24 may be relatively quiet and may reduce damagethat may otherwise be caused to the chips 37 in the chip hopper chamber18.

After the chips 37 within the chip wells 34, 36 of the pre-separatorwheel 24 have passed the chip counting device 44 the chips 37 may fallout of the chip wells 34, 36 onto the chip delivery ramp 46 coupled tothe opening 30 within the intermediate wall 28 and may slide down thechip delivery ramp 46 into the chip sorting chamber 20 and toward thesorting wheel 26. This may allow the chips 37 to be delivered into thechip sorting chamber 20 relatively gently and quietly.

As shown in FIG. 6, when the chips 37 are delivered into the chipsorting chamber 20, the chips 37 may become positioned in chip wells 58of the sorting wheel 26, which may be positioned about 40 degrees offplumb, similar to the intermediate wall 28 and the pre-separator wheel24. The chips 37 may be urged toward the radially outer edge of thesorting wheel 26 by gravity and inertial forces and each chip 37 maybecome positioned within an individual chip well 58 of the sorting wheel26, which may be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction by the motor48 (FIG. 2). The chips 37 may be carried along a circumferential path bythe sorting wheel 26 and each chip 37 may be carried past the chipidentification unit 54 (FIG. 2), which may be positioned over thecircumferential path.

As each chip 37 passes under the chip identification unit 54 (FIG. 2),the chip identification unit 54 may classify each chip according to anidentifying feature, such as by one or more of a color evaluationdevice, an RFID reader, an optical sensor, and a laser sensor. Forexample, the chip identification unit 54 may include a color line devicethat may evaluate each chip 37 and identify chips 37 by certain colorfeatures that fall within a predetermined color range. By identifyingchips 37 that have color features that fall within a predetermined colorrange, certain chips 37 may be grouped together that have slightvariations of color, such as due to inconsistencies in manufacturing thechips 37, dirt or other debris gathering on the chips 37, damage to thechips 37, or other various causes. The classification of each analyzedchip 37, along with each chip's respective position on the sorting wheel26, may then be transmitted to the main controller 86.

The main controller 86 (FIG. 1) may then activate specific chip ejectionunits 56 (FIG. 3) that correspond to each chip classification to besorted as chips 37 pass the chip ejection units 56, and the chips 37 maybe deposited onto the chip rack 22 (FIG. 1) in separate elongated chiptrays 82, each elongated chip tray 82 corresponding to a specific chipclassification.

In some embodiments, such as shown in FIG. 7, the chip wells 58 may bedefined near the radially outer edge of the sorting wheel 26 by radiallysegmented guide walls 94 comprising a plurality of wall segments 96, 98,100, 102, 104 spaced radially upon the sorting wheel 26 and definingcircumferentially extending channels 106, 108, 110, 112 therebetween.The chip ejection units 56 may comprise finger members 74, 76, 78, 80sized and positioned to be extended between the wall segments 96, 98,100, 102, 104 of radially segmented guide walls 94 into thecircumferentially extending channels 106, 108, 110, 112. For example,the finger members 74, 76, 78, 80 of the chip ejection units 56 may bepositioned axially over the circumferentially extending channels 106,108, 110, 112, as shown in FIG. 8, and may be selectively movable intothe channels 106, 108, 110, 112, as shown in FIG. 7.

In some embodiments, radially segmented guide walls 94 may include asubstantially continuous circumferentially extending radially inner wall96, a first wall segment 98, a second wall segment 100, a third wallsegment 102 and fourth wall segment 104. Each wall segment 98, 100, 102,104 may have a leading face 114, a following face 116 and opposing sidefaces 118, the leading faces 114 and following faces 116 defining thechip well 58, and the opposing side faces 118 defining thecircumferentially extending channels 106, 108, 110, 112. For example, afirst circumferentially extending channel 106 may be defined between thesubstantially continuous circumferentially extending radially inner wall96 and the first wall segment 98, a second circumferentially extendingchannel 108 may be defined between the first wall segment 98 and thesecond wall segment 100, a third circumferentially extending channel 110may be defined between the second wall segment 100 and the third wallsegment 102, and a fourth circumferentially extending channel 112 may bedefined between the third wall segment 102 and the fourth wall segment104. Additionally, each finger member 74, 76, 78, 80 of the chipejection unit 56 may include a reaction face 120 which may oppose theleading face 114 of each wall segment 98, 100, 102, 104.

Each finger member 74, 76, 78, 80 of the chip ejection unit 56 may beindependently operated by one or more respective cams 64 rotating on oneshaft 62. Each cam 64 may be mounted to the single cam shaft 62 and thecams 64 may be oriented to move each of the finger members 74, 76, 78,80 from a first position to a second position, and back to the firstposition, in a sequence by rotation of the cam shaft 62 with the motor60 upon receipt of a signal from the main controller 86.

For example, as shown in FIG. 8, each lever assembly 68, 70, 72 mayinclude an extension lever arm 122 having a first cam follower surface124 positioned adjacent a first cam 126 and a retraction lever arm 128having a second cam follower surface 130 adjacent a second cam 132. Thefirst cam follower surface 124 of the extension arm 122 may bepositioned between the first cam 126 and the sorting wheel 26. Duringrotation of the first cam 126, when a lobe 134 rotates into contact withthe first follower surface 124, the lobe 134 may apply a force on thefirst follower surface 124 of the extension lever 122 and may urge thethird finger member 78 toward the sorting wheel 26 and into acircumferentially extending channel 110 thereof. Additionally, the lobe134 of the first cam 126 may be moved away from the first cam followersurface 124 and a lobe 136 of the second cam 132 may be rotated intocontact with the second cam follower surface 130 of the retraction leverarm 128 and may urge the third finger member 78 away from the sortingwheel 26 and out of the circumferentially extending channel 110 thereof.

Optionally, a biasing means (not shown), such as one or more of atorsion spring, a coil spring, a leaf spring, an elastic structure, anda weighted structure, may be utilized to bias the lever assemblies 68,70, 72, and a single cam and cam follower surface may be utilized tocontrol the position of the finger members 74, 76, 78, 80.

To eject a selected chip 37 into a selected chip tray 82 through anopening 138, which may include guide walls 140, a chip ejection unit 56(FIG. 3) corresponding to the selected chip tray 82, which correspondsto the chip classification of the selected chip 37, may be activated andthe first and second finger members 74, 76 (See FIG. 5) may be movedfrom a first position above the first and second circumferentiallyextending channels 106, 108 to a second position within the firstcircumferentially extending channel 106, between the substantiallycontinuous circumferentially extending radially inner wall 96, and thesecond circumferentially extending channel 108, between the first wallsegment 98 and the second wall segment 100, circumferentially androtationally preceding the selected chip 37, as shown in FIG. 9. As thesorting wheel 26 is rotated relative to the first and second fingermembers 74, 76 and the selected chip 37 is carried along acircumferential path by the sorting wheel 26, an edge of the selectedchip 37 may come into contact with the reaction faces 120 of the firstand second finger members 74, 76, which may be positioned within thecircumferential path of the selected chip 37 and may be angled to facetoward the opening 138 into the selected chip tray 82 of the chip rack22 and the leading faces 114 of the first and second wall segments 98,100 circumferentially trailing the selected chip 37. The reaction faces120 of the first and second finger members 74, 76 may urge the selectedchip 37 both circumferentially toward the leading faces 114 of the firstand second wall segments 98, 100 circumferentially trailing the selectedchip 37 and radially outward, toward the opening 138 into the selectedchip tray 82. Additionally, the leading faces 114 of the first andsecond wall segments 98, 100 circumferentially trailing the selectedchip 37 may be angled to face both the reaction faces 120 of the firstand second finger members 74, 76 and the opening 138 into the selectedchip tray 82 and may urge the selected chip 37 radially outward, whenthe selected chip 37 is pushed toward the leading faces 114 of the firstand second wall segments 98, 100.

As shown in FIG. 10, the third finger member 78 may then be lowered bythe chip ejection unit 56 into the third circumferentially extendingchannel 110 rotationally preceding the selected chip 37 and within thecircumferential path of the selected chip 37. Similarly to the reactionfaces 120 of the first and second finger members 74, 76 and the leadingfaces 114 of the first and second wall segments 98, 100, the reactionface 120 of the third finger member 78 may cooperate with the leadingfaces 114 of the second and third wall segments 100, 102 to urge theselected chip 37 further radially outward, toward the opening 138 intothe selected chip tray 82 of the chip rack 22, as the sorting wheel 26is further rotated relative to the finger members 74, 76, 78 and theselected chip tray 82. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 10, the guidewalls 140 may facilitate the guiding of the selected chip 37 through theopening 138 into the selected chip tray 82.

Next, the fourth finger member 80 may be lowered by the chip ejectionunit 56 into alignment with the fourth circumferentially extendingchannel 112 rotationally preceding the selected chip 37 and within thecircumferential path of the selected chip 37, as shown in FIG. 11.Similarly to the reaction faces 120 of the first, second and thirdfinger members 74, 76, 78, the reaction face 120 of the fourth fingermember 80 may cooperate with the leading faces 114 of the third andfourth wall segments 102, 104 to further urge the selected chip 37radially outward, toward the opening 138 into the selected chip tray 82of the chip rack 22, as the sorting wheel 26 is rotated further. As maybe observed in FIG. 11, the reaction faces 120 of the finger members 74,76, 78, 80 may generally align with a guide wall 140 of the opening 138into the selected chip tray 82.

If a following chip has not been selected to be ejected into theselected chip tray 82, the first and second finger members 74, 76 may belifted out, over the first and second circumferentially extendingchannels 106, 108 as the selected chip 37 is urged toward the opening138 into the chip tray 82 by the third and fourth finger members 78, 80,as shown in FIG. 12. This may prevent the reaction faces 120 of thefirst and second finger members 74, 76 from contacting a chip in afollowing chip well 58 that has not been selected to be ejected into theselected chip tray 82 of the chip rack 22. Similarly, the third andfourth finger members 78, 80 may be independently and sequentiallylifted out, over the third and fourth circumferentially extendingchannels 110, 112 as the selected chip 37 is urged toward the opening138 into the selected chip tray 82, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. Thisability to independently move certain finger members 74, 76, 78, 80 ofthe chip ejection unit 56 between a first position and a second positionallows the chip wells 58 of the sorting wheel 26 to be positionedrelatively close together, allowing a relatively large number of chipwells 58 to be positioned on the sorting wheel 26, which increases therate at which chips 37 are sorted by the chip sorting device 10.

Optionally, if a following chip 37 has been selected to be ejected intothe selected chip tray 82, each of the finger members 74, 76, 78, 80 ofthe chip ejection unit 56 may remain within the paths of the respectivefirst, second, third and fourth circumferentially extending channels106, 108, 110, 112 and in a circumferential path of the followingselected chip 37 and the following selected chip 37 may be ejected intothe selected chip tray 82 of the chip rack 22. Similarly, any number offollowing selected chips 37 may be ejected in such a manner and thefinger members 74, 76, 78, 80 of the chip ejection unit 56 may be movedout of the paths of the circumferentially extending channels 106, 108,110, 112 when a next rotationally following chip 37 is not selected tobe ejected into the selected chip tray 82 of the chip rack 22.

The ejection system of the present invention advances fingers 74, 76,78, 80 sequentially such that chips are removed from wells 58 withoutbeing struck or jarred. This is an important attribute, as chips formedfrom clay can easily be damaged during sorting and stacking when theejectors deliver a concussion-type force to the edge of the chip.

Although the ejection system has been described above as providing fourfingers that move independently, the embodiment described hereinprovides fingers that move sequentially in response to rotation of aunitary shaft 62 that supports the cams that move the fingers.

By providing an ejection system that moves chips radially out of wells58 without concussion forces, the noise associated with ejection is alsoreduced, improving product acceptance.

Additionally, the inclusion of a chip ejection unit 56 for each chiptray 82 of the chip rack 22 may allow a plurality of chips 37 positionedwithin chip wells 58 of the sorting wheel 26 to be substantiallysimultaneously ejected into a plurality of chip trays 82 of the chiprack 22.

As shown in FIG. 15, each chip tray 82 of the chip rack 22 may include amovable barrier 142 located at the opening 138 from the chip sortingchamber 20 and a soft barrier 144. The movable barrier 142 may obstructthe opening 138 to the chip tray 82 to prevent the inadvertent ejectionof a nonselected chip 37 into the chip tray 82 when a nonselected chip37 passes the chip tray 82. When a selected chip 37 enters the opening138 to the chip tray 82, the movable barrier 142 may be moved to asecond retracted position, to provide an unobstructed opening 138 intothe chip tray 82. Upon entry of the selected chip 37 into the chip tray82, the movable barrier 142 may return to the original blocking positionand may urge the selected chip 37 upward in the chip tray 82. The softbarrier 144 may relatively gently stop the movement of the inserted chip37 at a specified location, upon insertion to the chip tray 82, andfacilitate the arrangement of inserted chips 37 into an axial stackwithin the chip tray 82.

Additionally, as shown in FIG. 16, each chip tray 82 may include a ramp146 that may provide a transition between a lower surface 148 and anupper surface 150, which may be slightly greater than the height of achip 37. In view of this, a first selected chip 37 may be aligned withthe lower surface 148 as the first selected chip 37 enters the opening138 into the chip tray 82 and may be guided up the ramp 146 duringinsertion into the chip tray 82. Upon complete insertion into the chiptray 82, the first selected chip 37 may then become aligned with theupper surface 150 and come to rest on the upper surface 150. When asecond selected chip 37 may be inserted into the chip tray 82, thesecond chip 37 may similarly be aligned with the lower surface 148 asthe second chip 37 enters the opening 138 into the chip tray 82 and maybe guided up the ramp 146 during insertion into the chip tray 82. Inthis manner, the second selected chip 37 may be inserted below the firstselected chip 37, may urge the first selected chip 37 upwards and maycome to rest on the upper surface 150 below the first selected chip 37in an axially stacked arrangement.

In additional embodiments, a chip sorting device 200 may include anothertype of chip conveying unit, such as an articulated conveyor 202, whichmay be arranged along a fixed path within a chip sorting chamber, asshown in FIG. 17. The articulated conveyor 202 may comprise a pluralityof articulated link units 206 and each link unit 206 may include a chipwell 208 for carrying at least one chip 37. Each chip well 208 may bedefined by and adjacent to segmented guide walls 210 comprised of aplurality of wall segments 212 and a plurality of channels 214 may bedefined between wall segments 212 of the plurality of wall segments 212.

The fixed path may be arranged such that each link unit 206, and anychips 37 that may be carried thereby, may travel along a generallystraight path (i.e., a substantially linear path) when proximate to chipejection units 216 and corresponding chip trays 218 of a chip rack. Inthis embodiment, a lower and optionally upper edge of the chip rack islinear, to facilitate a close fit to a rectangular notch cut into theroulette table top. In view of this, the wall segments 212 of theplurality of wall segments 212 may be spaced laterally along each linkunit 206 and may extend longitudinally along each link unit 206.Additionally, the channels 214 defined between wall segments 212 of theplurality of longitudinally extending wall segments 212 may also extendlongitudinally along each link unit 206. For example, each of the wallsegments 212 of the plurality of wall segments 212 and each of thechannels 214 may extend along a generally straight path (i.e., asubstantially linear path).

The chip ejection units 216 may be similar to the chip ejection units 56described with reference to FIGS. 1-16, and the chip ejection units 216may include similar finger members each configured to be positioned froma first position outside of a longitudinally extending channel 214, to asecond position within a longitudinally extending channel 214.Additionally, the finger members of the chip ejection units 216 mayinclude reaction faces that may cooperate with leading faces of trailingwall segments 212 to eject chips 37 laterally out of the chip wells 208(i.e., a chip 37 may be ejected radially with respect to the initialorientation of the chip 37 within the chip well 208), similarly to theejection units 56 described with reference to FIGS. 1-16. For example,each finger member of an ejection unit 216 may be positioned within achannel 214 of the articulated conveyor 202 into a linear path of a chip37, preceding the chip 37, and the articulated conveyor 202 may be movedto move the chip 37 into contact with the finger members of the ejectionunit 216. Then, the reaction faces of the finger members of the ejectionunit 216 may cooperate with leading faces of trailing wall segments 212to urge the chip 37 laterally out of the chip well 208.

Although this invention has been described with reference to particularembodiments, the invention is not limited to these describedembodiments. Rather, the invention is limited only by the appendedclaims, which include within their scope all equivalent devices, systemsand methods.

What is claimed is:
 1. A chip handling device, comprising: a first chipchamber; a second chip chamber, separate from the first chip chamber andin communication with the first chip chamber through an opening; and aseparating wheel in communication with the first chip chamber, theseparating wheel comprising a plurality of radially extending armsdefining a plurality of chip wells extending from an outer edge of theseparating wheel toward an inner portion of the separating wheel, eachchip well configured to hold a plurality of chips and to carry chips ina circumferential path and deposit chips in the opening into the secondchip chamber, wherein the plurality of chip wells comprises a firstplurality of chip wells and a second plurality of chip wells, whereineach chip well of the first plurality of chip wells extends radiallyinward toward the inner portion of the separating wheel a distancegreater than each chip well of the second plurality of chip wells. 2.The chip handling device of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of chipwells and the second plurality of chip wells alternate around acircumference of the separating wheel.
 3. The chip handling device ofclaim 1, further comprising a chip counting device positioned within thefirst chip chamber and configured to count the number of chips carriedwithin each chip well of the plurality of chip wells.
 4. The chiphandling device of claim 3, wherein the chip counting device comprisesat least one optical sensor.
 5. The chip handling device of claim 3,further comprising a motor for rotating the separating wheel, whereinthe chip counting device is configured to control a rate of chipsdelivered to the second chip chamber by controlling a rotational speedof the separating wheel with the motor in response to a number of chipscounted by the chip counting device.
 6. The chip handling device ofclaim 1, further comprising a ramp extending from the opening into thesecond chip handling chamber toward a sorting wheel.
 7. A chip handlingdevice, comprising: a first chip chamber; a second chip chamber,separate from the first chip chamber and in communication with the firstchip chamber through an opening; and a separating wheel in communicationwith the first chip chamber, the separating wheel comprising a pluralityof radially extending arms defining a plurality of chip wells extendingfrom an outer edge of the separating wheel toward an inner portion ofthe separating wheel, each chip well configured to hold a plurality ofchips and to carry chips in a circumferential path and deposit chips inthe opening into the second chip chamber, wherein the plurality of chipwells comprises a plurality of elongated chip wells and a plurality ofdeep chip wells alternating around a circumference of the separatingwheel, each elongated chip well of the plurality of elongated chip wellsconfigured to hold a plurality of chips positioned radially edge-to-edgeand each deep chip well of the plurality of deep chip wells configuredto hold a plurality of chips stacked axially.
 8. A chip handling device,comprising: a first chip chamber; a second chip chamber, separate fromthe first chip chamber and in communication with the first chip chamberthrough an opening; a separating wheel in communication with the firstchip chamber, the separating wheel comprising a plurality of radiallyextending arms defining a plurality of chip wells extending from anouter edge of the separating wheel toward an inner portion of theseparating wheel, each chip well configured to hold a plurality of chipsand to carry chips in a circumferential path and deposit chips in theopening into the second chip chamber; a chip counting device positionedwithin the first chip chamber and configured to count the number ofchips carried within each chip well of the plurality of chip wells; anda finger positioned within a circumferential path of at least one chipwell of the plurality of chip wells, the finger configured totemporarily displace at least one chip in the at least one chip well. 9.The chip handling device of claim 8, wherein the at least one chip wellcomprises a deep chip well configured to hold a plurality of chipsstacked axially, wherein the finger is configured to temporarilydisplace at least one axially stacked chip in the at least one chip wellto at least partially uncover at least one chip underlying the at leastone axially stacked chip to facilitate counting a number of chipspositioned within the deep chip well.
 10. A chip sorting device,comprising: a chip hopper chamber; a chip sorting chamber, separate fromthe chip hopper chamber and in communication with the chip hopperchamber through an opening; a separating wheel positioned within thechip hopper chamber, the separating wheel comprising a plurality of chipwells configured to hold a plurality of chips stacked axially and tocarry chips in a circumferential path and deposit chips in the openinginto the chip sorting chamber; and a chip counting device positionedwithin the chip hopper chamber and configured to count the number ofchips carried within each chip well of the plurality of chip wells. 11.The chip sorting device of claim 10, wherein the separating wheelfurther comprises another plurality of chip wells alternating with theplurality of chip wells around the circumference of the separatingwheel.
 12. The chip sorting device of claim 11, wherein each chip wellof the another plurality of chip wells is configured to hold a pluralityof chips positioned radially edge-to-edge.
 13. A method of transportingchips, the method comprising: loading a plurality of chips from a chiphopper chamber at a first location into a plurality of chip wells of aseparating wheel, comprising: disposing at least two chips of theplurality of chips into a first chip well of the plurality of chip wellsof the separating wheel to axially stack the at least two chips withinthe first chip well; and disposing at least two chips of the pluralityof chips into a second chip well of the plurality of chip wells of theseparating wheel to position the at least two chips radially adjacent toone another; rotating the separating wheel about a central axis; anddepositing the plurality of chips from the plurality of chip wells ofthe separating wheel into a chip sorting chamber.
 14. The method ofclaim 13, further comprising counting each chip of the plurality ofchips within the plurality of chip wells with a chip counting device aseach chip is rotated in the separating wheel.
 15. The method of claim14, further comprising adjusting a rate at which chips are delivered tothe chip sorting chamber by controlling a rotational speed of theseparator wheel with a motor in response to a number of chips counted bythe chip counting device.
 16. A method of transporting chips, the methodcomprising: loading a plurality of chips from a chip hopper chamber at afirst location into a plurality of chip wells of a separating wheel,comprising: alternating between disposing at least two chips of theplurality of chips into a chip well of the plurality of chip wells toposition the at least two chips radially adjacent to one another anddisposing at least two chips of the plurality of chips into anadditional chip well of the plurality of chip wells to axially stack theat least two chips within the additional chip well; rotating theseparating wheel about a central axis; and depositing the plurality ofchips from the plurality of chip wells of the separating wheel into achip sorting chamber.
 17. A method of transporting chips, the methodcomprising: loading a plurality of chips from a chip hopper chamber at afirst location into a plurality of chip wells of a separating wheel,comprising: disposing at least one chip of the plurality of chips into afirst chip well of the plurality of chip wells of the separating wheel;and disposing at least two chips of the plurality of chips into a secondchip well of the plurality of chip wells of the separating wheel toposition the at least two chips radially adjacent to one another;rotating the separating wheel about a central axis; positioning a fingerwithin a circumferential path of at least one chip well of the pluralityof chip wells; counting each chip of the plurality of chips within theplurality of chip wells with a chip counting device as each chip isrotated in the separating wheel; temporarily displacing at least onechip in the at least one chip well; and depositing the plurality ofchips from the plurality of chip wells of the separating wheel into achip sorting chamber.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein disposing atleast one chip of the plurality of chips into a first chip well of aplurality of chip wells of the separating wheel comprises positioning atleast two chips of the plurality of chips into the first chip well toaxially stack the at least two chips within the first chip well andfurther comprising: positioning a finger within a circumferential pathof the first chip well; temporarily displacing at least one chip of theat least two chips in the first chip well; and counting each chip of theat least two chips in the first chip well while temporarily displacingthe at least one chip.